March 24, 2009

Rankings are from CBI Composite Poll

Around the Bases
Logan helps Georgia State power past No. 7 Georgia Tech

Ohio State one-hits Miami (Fla.); Wright State wins at Georgia

In Atlanta, Bradley Logan had two hits, including one of his team’s three home runs, and drove in three as Georgia State powered past No. 7 Georgia Tech 10-1 Tuesday in front of 1,349 fans at Russ Chandler Stadium. Justin Malone had an RBI single in the second and Logan’s three-run blast an inning later gave the Panthers (15-7) a 4-0 advantage. GSU added another run in the third and Derek Simmons went deep in the fourth to give the visitors a 6-0 lead. The Yellow Jackets (16-3) scored in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI fielder’s choice by Jeff Rowland. Marc Mimeault added a two-run homer in the eighth. Matt Skole had a double and a walk for Georgia Tech. John Locklear (4-1) earned the win, going five innings with four hits, one run, five walks and one strikeout. Will Palmer struck out two in 1.2 hitless innings, while Will Campbell allowed one hit and struck out one in 2.1 innings.

No. 23 Ohio State 7, No. 5 Miami (Fla.) 1

In Coral Gables, Fla., three pitchers combined on the one-hitter as OSU defeated Miami in front of 1,755 fans at Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field. Alex Wimmers (5-0) started and worked five hitless innings with on unearned run, five walks and two strikeouts. Drew Rucinski allowed a single in the sixth in his three scoreless innings. Jake Hale fanned two of the three he faced in the ninth to secure the win. Dan Burkhart’s two-run single capped a four-run third for the Buckeyes (18-3). Michael Arp added a two-run homer in the sixth. Arp walked and scored the final run in the ninth. Burkhart finished with two hits for OSU. Chris Hermann had the lone hit for the Hurricanes (18-5), an infield single. Scott Lawson walked and scored in the first for Miami.

Wright State 8, No. 1 Georgia 5

In Athens, Ga., Jeff Mercer had a two-run single, his second hit of the inning, to cap a seven-run fourth as Wright State won at Georgia. Rich Poythress had a two-run homer in the first for the Bulldogs (19-3) before the fourth-inning explosion for the Raiders (10-12). Georgia rallied for three in the sixth to pull to within two before WSU added an insurance run in the seventh. Mercer and Jake Hibberd each had two hits and two RBI for WSU. Bryce Massanari had two hits, including a homer, and two RBI for the Bulldogs. Adam Fuller also went deep for Georgia.

Brown 20, No. 21 Pepperdine 8

In Malibu, Calif., Graham Tyler, the No. 9 hitter, homered and drove in seven as Brown bombed Pepperdine at Eddy D. Field Stadium. Tyler had a two-run single to cap a three-run second for the Bears (3-8). He added an RBI fielder’s choice in a six-run sixth, a two-run single in a six-run seventh and a two-run homer in the ninth. Ryan Zrenda went 4 for 6 with three runs for Brown. Robert Papanhause had one hit, three walks and four runs for the Bears. The Waves (16-7) scored four in the fifth and four in the ninth. Brian Humphries and Ryan Van Amburg both drove in two for Pepperdine.

UNF 3, No. 25 Florida 0

In Jacksonville, Fla., Michael Kelly, Antonio Franzese and Spencer Jones combined on the four-hitter as UNF scored three in the eighth to get by Florida in front of a record crowd of 3,194 at Harmon Stadium. Kelly allowed three hits in 4.1 innings with three walks and four strikeouts for the Ospreys (9-15). Franzese allowed one hit in 2.2 innings with no walks and three strikeouts. Jones (1-0) worked the final two hitless innings with no walks and five strikeouts to earn the victory. In the eighth, Brian Wilson had an RBI single and Preston Hale added a two-run double for UNF. Matt den Dekker, Josh Adams and Avery Barnes each had a hit and a walk for the Gators (14-8).

No. 4 LSU 4, Harvard 3

In Baton Rouge, La., Buzzy Haydel had three hits and Tyler Hanover knocked in two as LSU edged Harvard in Alex Box Stadium. Sean Ochinko had an RBI single in the first for the Tigers (18-5) before Sean O’Hara scored on a wild pitch in the second for the Crimson (2-12). Leon Landry had a sac fly in the bottom of the frame before Harvard scored two in the fifth for a 3-2 lead. Hanover had a two-run double in the bottom of the fifth to put LSU ahead 4-3. Taylor Meehan had two hits and an RBI for the Crimson.

No. 6 North Carolina 8, UNC Wilmington 1

In Wilmington, N.C., Levi Michael homered and doubled to lead UNC past UNCW in front of a record crowd of 3,608 at Brooks Field. Michael homered in the first for the Tar Heels (18-4) before Rhett Miller tied it in the fourth on an RBI single for the Seahawks (17-4). Michael doubled and Dustin Ackley had a two-run single in a five-run third as UNC took control. Garrett Gore and Ryan Graepel both had two hits, one run and one RBI for the Heels. Mike Rooney went 3 for 4 for the Seahawks.

No. 8 Rice 9, Lamar 8 (12)

In Houston, Jimmy Comerota knocked in the tying run in the bottom of the 12th and scored the game-winner as Rice edged Lamar at Reckling Park. After the Cardinals (16-8) scored three in the ninth to tie it at 7-7, Ryan Saldivar homered in the top of the 12th to give Lamar the lead. Comerota’s two-out hit in the bottom of the frame knotted it at 8-8. He stole second and scored on a single by Anthony Rendon to give the win to the Owls (15-6). Comerota finished with four hits, two runs and one RBI. Rick Hague, Diego Seastrunk and Craig Manuel each had three hits for Rice. Saldivar had two hits and three RBI for the Cardinals. V.J. Bunner had three hits, one run and one RBI for Lamar.

No. 10 Texas 3, Dallas Baptist 0

In Austin, Texas, Austin Dicharry fanned eight in earning his first victory as Texas blanked Dallas Baptist at UFCU Disch-Falk Field. Dicharry (1-1) worked 7.1 innings with four hits and one walk. CBI journalist Keith Shinaberry came in with a runner on second in the seventh and got two groundouts to escape the jam. Chance Ruffin pitched a perfect ninth with a strikeout to notch his first save. Michael Torres had an RBI single in the third for the Longhorns (15-6). Kevin Keyes added a run-scoring double in the sixth and Brandon Loy had an RBI single in the seventh. Loy went 2 for 2 with a sac bunt. Ryan Goins had three of the five hits for the Patriots (12-7), including a double.

No. 11 Oklahoma 12, Central Arkansas 6

In Norman, Okla., Garrett Buechele had three hits, including a home run, and three RBI as Oklahoma topped Central Arkansas at L. Dale Mitchell Park. Aaron Baker and Kaleb Herren both knocked in two for the Sooners (21-5). OU scored five in the first, three in the second and three in the third to take charge. Blake Roberts had three hits for UCA (12-10).

No. 12 UC Irvine 17, Washington 13

In Seattle, Ronnie Shaeffer went 4 for 5 with three runs and an RBI as UCI outscored Washington at Husky Ballpark. Shaeffer was a triple away from the cycle for the second straight game. Brock Bardeen belted two homers, while Casey Stevenson had three hits, two runs and two RBI for the Anteaters (13-6). Troy Scott had a three-run homer in a four-run fifth as the Huskies (9-12) took a 12-8 lead. UCI scored two in the seventh and three in the eighth to take a 13-12 lead before Scott’s sac fly in the bottom of the eight tied it at 13-13. Dillon Bell’s two-run double highlighted a four-run ninth for the Anteaters. Brendan Gardner-Young and Julien Pollard both had two hits and three runs for UW.

Saint Louis 15, No. 14 Ole Miss 11

In Oxford, Miss., Jerry Mancuso had a career-high four RBI and pitched three innings to earn the win as SLU outscored Ole Miss in front of 5,605 fans at Oxford-University Stadium. The Billikens (12-10) built a 12-3 lead before the Rebels (15-6) scored eight straight to pull to within one. Cody Cotter had a three-run homer in the eighth to give SLU a cushion. Tom Pinnell went 3 for 4 with two runs and three RBI for the Billikens. Logan Power had three hits and three runs for Ole Miss.

No. 16 Virginia 13, Towson 4

In Charlottesville, Va., Phil Gosselin went 3 for 4 with four RBI as Virginia topped Towson at Davenport Field. Jarrett Parker, Steven Kouril and Corey Hunt each had two hits for the Cavaliers (20-2). Kouril and Parker both scored three. UVa scored one in the first and seven in the second to take control. Kevin Collins had an RBI double and scored in the fourth for the Tigers (12-11).

No. 17 Texas A&M 11, Texas-Arlington 8

In College Station, Texas, Caleb Shofner went 3 for 4 with a career-high four RBI as Texas A&M got by UTA in front of 2,686 fans at Olsen Field. Shofner’s run-scoring single broke an 8-8 tie and sparked a three-run eighth for the Aggies (15-9). Tim Steggall had a two-run single to ignite a three-run rally in the top of the eighth for the Mavericks (12-11). Brooks Raley scored three for A&M. Matt Otteman (3 for 5, 3 RBI) extended his hit streak to 23 for UTA.

No. 18 Cal Poly 17, San Jose State 9

In San Luis Obispo, Calif., Kyle Smith went 4 for 5 with seven RBI as Cal Poly beat SJSU at Baggett Stadium. Smith had a two-run homer, a two-run triple, an RBI single and a two-run single from the No. 9 spot for the Mustangs (16-4). Ross Brayton had a double and three RBI for Cal Poly. Jacob Bruns had four hits and two RBI for the Spartans (16-5). SJSU led 7-6 before the Mustangs scored three in the fifth to take the lead for good and put it away with five in the eighth.

No. 19 Oklahoma State 8, UNLV 2

In Stillwater, Okla., Thomas Keeling fanned nine as OSU topped UNLV at Allie P. Reynolds Stadium. Keeling (2-1) pitched seven innings in relief and allowed one run. Doug Kroll and Mark Ginther both had two hits and two RBI for the Cowboys (16-7). J.J. Sferra had three hits and knocked in one for the Rebels (13-9). After UNLV scored in the top of the first, OSU got one in the third, three in the fourth and four in the fifth to take control.

No. 20 TCU 10, Stephen F. Austin 2

In Fort Worth, Texas, Greg Holle pitched five strong innings as TCU defeated SFA. Holle (3-0) allowed seven hits and one run with two walks and two strikeouts. Chris Ellington had a three-run homer to cap a five-run eighth for the Horned Frogs (14-6). Ellington and Matt Curry both had two hits for TCU. Sean Meyers and Justin Long both had a pair of hits for the Lumberjacks (7-14).

No. 22 Clemson 5-8, Elon 3-7

In Clemson, S.C., Chris Epps homered and drove in four in the nightcap as Clemson swept a doubleheader from Elon at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. Epps had a three-run homer in the second to knot it at 3-3. Pat Irvine homered in the fifth to give the Phoenix (12-7) a 6-5 edge. Jeff Schaus doubled and scored in a two-run fifth for the Tigers (16-6). Mike Melillo had three hits and two RBI for Elon. In the opener, Brad Miller and Mike Freeman both had three hits and a run for Clemson. The Tigers scored the tie-breaking run in the sixth and added two in the eighth for a 5-2 advantage before Elon got one in the ninth. Chase Austin had a homer and drove in two for the Phoenix.

No. 24 East Carolina 10, Campbell 9

In Buies Creek, N.C., Kyle Roller had an RBI single with two outs in the top of the ninth to lift ECU past Campbell at Taylor Field. Roller finished with four hits, including a homer in the third, and four RBI. The Camels (11-10) had scored a pair in the eighth to tie it at 9-9. Devin Harris had four hits and two runs for the Pirates (17-4). Alex Aycoth went 3 for 4 with two runs and two RBI for Campbell.